1969 United States Grand Prix
The Grand Prix of USA 1969 was held on October 5th at Watkins Glen and was the tenth race of the Formula 1 season 1969.
- 3.1 Start -up
- 3.2 race
- 4.1 Drivers' Championship
- 4.2 Constructors' Championship
Reports
Background
Apart from two Canadian host starters were all teams that were present two weeks earlier at the Grand Prix of Canada, also present in Watkins Glen with similar occupations. Regarding the driver was the only one present John Miles of Mario Andretti and the third factory BRM was occupied for the last two races in the Formula 1 debutant George Eaton.
Training
The lap times achieved in the first training in wet track conditions played no role in the grid. It was found that the controversial all-wheel drive car Lotus 63 and Matra MS84 even under these conditions had no significant advantages over the conventionally powered vehicles.
In the second session Jochen Rindt beat at a faster lap time of 0.03 seconds to McLaren's Denis Hulme. The second row of the shared since the Italian GP fixed as the new world champion Jackie Stewart with Graham Hill, the champion of the previous year.
Race
Bruce McLaren was unable to use his sixth on the grid, since the engine already overheated in a warm-up laps.
Jochen Rindt continued his pole position into a lead, without being able to be clearly defined from his pursuers Stewart and Hill. Hulme was due to technical problems and had to return immediately after a few rounds of the pits. In the third round, Jo Siffert Hill was able to overtake, followed by Jean -Pierre Beltoise and Piers Courage. By Siffert failure a few laps later and the fact that Beltoise was discriminated against because of gearbox problems, Courage came in third place.
On lap 12, Stewart was able to take over the leadership of Rindt. However, this struggled in round 20 back to the top and this time was able to clearly deposed by Stewart, since its engine was already showing signs of defects, which eventually led to a failure on lap 36.
About 40 seconds behind Rindt now fought Piers Courage in its customer Brabham with the two factory cars by Jacky Ickx and Jack Brabham at the second position. However, after Ickx had fallen out with engine trouble and Brabham had to pit for refueling, was found for the former world champion John Surtees first time this season the chance of a podium finish.
On lap 88 Hill had a spin, which ran its engine. He had to get out then to put his car by pushing it again. While this succeeded, but he could not do without the support of his mechanic buckle up correctly. In another spin with subsequent rollover on lap 91 Hill was therefore thrown out of the cockpit and broke both legs.
Jochen Rindt was finally able to make in the most highly endowed race of the year his first Grand Prix victory, directly in connection with his first hat-trick. It was also the first victory for an Austrian Formula 1 driver.
Message list
Classifications
Line-up
Race
WM stands after the race
The first six of the race were 9, 6, 4, 3, 2 and 1 point (s).